The CW Upfront: More Women Leads Join Primetime

Published on May 18, 2017.

In an effort to add more balance to its primetime lineup, The CW is adding two new female-focused dramas to its schedule in the fall.

"Valor," about an elite unit of U.S. Army helicopter pilots whose top secret mission in Somalia goes awry, will join "Supergirl" on Monday nights. "Valor" joins several other military dramas across broadcast TV next season, including CBS' "Seal Team" and NBC's "For God and Country."

And the re-imagining of "Dynasty" from "The O.C." and "Gossip Girl" executive producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage will air on Wednesday nights at 9 p.m. "Riverdale" will anchor the night at 8 p.m.

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One potential challenge with "Dynasty" is marketing the nighttime soap to a new generation of viewers. Rick Haskins, exec VP-marketing and digital programs, said the challenge is similar to The CW's last year with "Riverdale," which is based on the old Archie comics. As with "Riverdale," Haskins said the network will focus on bringing in a new audience, knowing that original "Dynasty" viewers will follow out of sheer curiosity.

The CW's goal is a broader range of series that appeal to both women and men and across a wide range of demographics. In recent years, The CW's programming has been heavily focused on big genre shows based on superhero characters.

Tuesdays and Thursdays in the fall will be dominated by such series. "The Flash" stays on Tuesday nights and is joined by "DC's Legends of Tomorrow," which moves from its Friday slot.

"Supernatural" will kick off Thursdays and is followed by "Arrow," which aired on Wednesdays this season.

CW President Mark Pedowitz said the network won't have more than four DC series at a time, but that it will continue making them "as long as people want to watch it."

"Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" stays on Friday nights, followed by "Jane the Virgin," which moves from Mondays.

New midseason shows include the comedy "Life Sentence" starring Lucy Hale, who plays a girl who spent the last eight years living like she was dying, but then finds out her cancer has been cured, and "Black Lightning," based on the DC character.

And The CW Seed, the network's digital network, will add full series runs of the original "Dynasty" and "Everwood."